Prince says support UK food production

THE Prince of Wales has appealed to supermarkets and shoppers to throw their weight behind the local food movement and warned the UK must retain its food security rather than relying on the global market.

Prince Charles said it was important that the country learned the lessons of history and retained its ability to produce its own food. "To sacrifice long-term security through short-term convenience would be utter madness and can hardly be sustainable," he said.

The Princes comments came at the launch of a new local food supply guide produced by the Institute of Grocery Distribution and Business in the Community. The report, Local Sourcing – Growing Rural Business, includes a series of case studies to show how local suppliers can work in partnership with others in the food chain.

Prince Charles said if supermarkets could be encouraged to source locally he was sure the viability of UK farmers would be considerably improved. Everyone had a role but retailers and food processors had a particularly important part to play because of their size. &#42

Local retail king… Prince Charles wants more supermarkets to stock locally produced food.